news 2024

Researchers studying the monkeypox virus have made an interesting observation which may relate back to an outbreak of smallpox in Glasgow in 1950. The study - which is led by the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research and published in Journal of General Virology - shows that serum samples derived from older people within the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board (NHSGGC) have greater neutralising capacity against the monkeypox virus compared to serum samples taken from younger people from the same health board.

New analysis based on Imperial's COVID-19 human challenge study has helped to uncover how some people avoid getting sick. Researchers have found that people who are able to fend off the SARS-CoV-2 virus have unique immune responses which help them to avoid sustained infection. The findings , which are based on samples obtained from the Imperial-led COVID-19 human challenge study, suggest that a localised immune response in the lining of the nose enables individuals to identify the virus and stop it from gaining a foothold to cause infection.

High levels of a key gene in volunteers who managed to fight off infection quickly suggests it has a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2, according to a new study from researchers at UCL, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Imperial College London. The study, published in Nature , provides the most detailed view of how the body responds when exposed to an infectious disease.

Early results of an international study examining the risk of arthritis for people with psoriasis have shown a high burden of joint symptoms in 712 patients - 25% of the total studied so far. But the team are still on the hunt for 2,000 more patients with psoriasis, a condition that causes flaky patches of skin covered with white scales which affects about 3% of people in the UK and Europe.

A new research collaboration is setting out to develop computational tools to improve treatments for one of the world's most common causes of death. The University of Glasgow will lead the newly-established EPSRC Centre for Future PCI Planning, which aims to improve outcomes from a frequently-performed treatment for heart artery disease.

Comment: Study claiming antidepressant withdrawal is uncommon fails to account for long term users Writing in The Conversation, Professor Joanna Moncrieff and Dr Mark Horowitz (both UCL Psychiatry) respond to new research that antidepressant withdrawal is less common than previously thought by highlighting the risks among long-term users.

UK researchers have discovered a new biological pathway which drives inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and could be targeted with existing drugs. The work, carried out by researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, working with UCL and Imperial College London, uncovered a region of DNA which effectively dials up the activity of specific white blood cells, driving inflammation and increasing IBD risk.

A new biological pathway that is a principal driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and related conditions, and which can be targeted using existing drugs, has been discovered by researchers at UCL, the Francis Crick Institute and Imperial College London. About 5% of the world's population, and one in ten people in the UK, are currently affected by an autoimmune disease, such as IBD, the umbrella term for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which cause swelling and irritation of the digestive tract.

A new type of immunotherapy, developed by UCL researchers, has shown promising preclinical results against a bone cancer called osteosarcoma, as part of a study in mice. Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in teenagers but is still relatively rare, with around 160 new cases each year in the UK.

Beeswax and local herbs could be crucial in helping families living in conflict zones store food, according to scientists from Cardiff University and Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute of National Technical University, Ukraine.

A new beer is being brewed by microbiologists, using extracts found in killer bees from Namibia. Scientists from Cardiff University have used brewer's yeast that resides in the gut microbiome of killer honeybees in Namibia and applied it to develop a unique craft beer. The Cardiff microbiologists originally visited Namibia as part of a project that unites Cardiff University and the University of Namibia for sustainable environmental development, when the scientists became interested in the Africanised honey bee - also known as the killer bee.

The weight loss drug semaglutide delivers cardiovascular benefits irrespective of starting weight and amount of weight lost, according to preliminary findings from a UCL-led research team. The findings, presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO), suggest that even people with mild obesity or those not losing weight are likely to gain some cardiovascular advantage.

Researchers say it is vital that children born by caesarean section receive two doses of the measles vaccine for robust protection against the disease. A study by the University of Cambridge, UK, and Fudan University, China, has found that a single dose of the measles jab is up to 2.6 times more likely to be completely ineffective in children born by C-section, compared to those born naturally.

A brand-new monitoring device for patients with heart failure may be able to detect signs of fluid overload, and could be used to monitor patients and help prevent hospital admissions, according to a new study.

A major clinical trial has found that an additional COVID 19 vaccine dose led to the majority of clinically extremely vulnerable people mounting defensive antibodies against Covid-19. New research published in The Lancet Rheumatology from the OCTAVE DUO research trial co-led by the University of Birmingham and University of Glasgow found that vaccine boosters led to improved antibody responses among many groups of immunocompromised and immunosuppressed patients.

Researchers have developed a new vaccine technology that has been shown in mice to provide protection against a broad range of coronaviruses with potential for future disease outbreaks - including ones we don't even know about Our focus is to create a vaccine that will protect us against the next coronavirus pandemic, and have it ready before the pandemic has even started.

Scientists have discovered the key features of immune B cells which make them successful at targeting tumours - including when cancer has spread to a different part of the body. Published in Nature Immunology , the researchers have developed a computational tool to identify these anti-cancer immune cells which could lead to improved, personalised immunotherapies.

A type of cell responsible for repairing damaged liver tissue has been uncovered for the first time by a team of scientists, including Professor Rajiv Jalan (UCL Liver & Digestive Health). The study, published in Nature , showed how these new-found cells migrate to the site of damage, providing new insights into the way the liver heals itself.

A new study looking at health data from the last 20 years has highlighted the benefits of exercise programmes for individuals living with long-term health conditions. Drawing on a comprehensive overview of published evidence spanning 39 different long-term conditions - and encompassing 990 randomised controlled trials and over 900,000 patients - the research underscores the fundamental role of exercise in enhancing the wellbeing of individuals living with long-term health conditions.

The first ever targeted treatment for brain tumours in children has been approved for NHS patients, following over 20 years of research by a UCL clinician scientist. Professor Darren Hargrave, who is a researcher at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH), was the Chair of the TADPOLE-G trial steering group, alongside researchers across the world.